Creaming-can



. (No Model.)

Patented Apr 8, 1890 5% YWITNESSES'.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

ROBERT D. PARKS, OF MECOSTA, MICHIGAN.

ycREAMlNe-GAN.

SPEGIFICATTON `forming; part of Letters Patent No. 424,996, dated April 8,1890.

' lAp'piio'aannai May 18,1889. sayin No. 811,284. (Nomad.)

ToaZZ whom inaycoucern/ A Be it known that l, RoBERrD.1?AEKs, a

citizen of the United States, residingat vMe-l costa, in. the county of Mecostaanfl State fof Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Creaming-Cans; and I- do hereby declare the followinglto be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will en able'others skilled inthe art-to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to. improvementsin creamingcans;v and it has for `itsobject to provide means for securing-a circulation of cold air from the refrigerant receptacle through the body of .the cancontaining the milk, in order to facilitate or hasten the rising of the cream, whereby auniform and better temperature is maintained- My invention has further for its object to provide for the escape with the ascending current of warm air of the; odor that arises from the milk, to provide for the expeditious and easy removal of either of the series of creaming-cans for the purpose of filling the latter without disturbing the otherv cans of the series or in any manner affecting the operation thereof, and, finally, to secure simplicit'y and durability of construction and 4efticiency of operation.

WVith these ends in view and such others as appertain to my invention, I provide a re frigerant or ice chamber in the upper part of an inclosing-case, said chamber having its bottom inclinedv downwardly from its sides toward a central opening, through which the cold-air currents from said refrigerant-chamber are free to pass to a lower chamber, that contains the creaming-cans. I enlploya-se.- ries of these cans, numbering from two, three, or more, as may be desired, and each can is provided with a central longitudinal circulating-tube, which opens through the lower end or base of the can and is connected by a suitable joint with a hot-air-escape tube or conduit. This conduit or escape-tube for the warm air is arranged in a horizontal position below the refrigerant-chamber and above the series of ereaming-cans, all of which cans have their circulating-tubes communicating with said escape-tube, and at its ends this tube opens into end iiues provided betweenv the ends of the refrigerant-chamber and the inclosing-ca-se The lower ends of said end iiues are, closed by suitable narrow partitions between the refrigerant-chamber and'the inclosing-case, while the upper ends of said end ues are open and alloT the warm air dis `charged into the fines to ascend to the refrigerant-chamber; but, if desired, outletkopenings may be provided in the inclosinglcase at either or both ends of said end ilues to allow the warm air delivered thereto from the creaming-cans to escape into the external atmosphere.

My invention further consists in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand my invention, I will now proceed to describe the same in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a vertical sectional view through my improved creaming-can'refrigerator. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the upper part of one of the creaming-cans, the hot-air-escape flue, and the connection intermediate of said can and flue or tube. Fig. 3 is a detail view of va strainer adapted for use on the can when straining` the milk.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

l designates the refrigerant or ice-chamber, which is located horizontally within the npper part of the inclosing-case 2 of a refrigerator constructed in accordance with my invention. This refrigerant-chamber is arranged out of contact with the inclosing-case to provide end iiues 8 3, which are closed at their lower ends by narrow partitions 4L, arranged between said inclosing-case and the bottom of the refrigerant-chamber, as shown in Fig. 1 but the upper ends of said end flue open into the refrigerant-chamber to allow the warm air delivered into said end ues by the hot-air-escape iiue to escape into the ref rigerant-chamber, where it is cooled and condensed by the refrigerant therein and discharged into the lower chamber 2 of the inclosing-case which is adapted to receive the series of creaming-cans presently described.

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If desired, outlet-openings et may be formed in the inclosing-case 2 at or near the base of the end flues 3 or at the upper ends of said end ilues, as at 5, to provide for the escape of the warm air in the end flues into the external atmosphere instead of into the refrigerant-chamber; but I do not restrict myself to the use of these outlet-openings, as they may be omitted, if deemed desirable.

The creaming-cans G are arranged in the lower chamber 2 of the inclosing-case 2, below the refrigerant-chamber, and said cans are elevated above the floor of said chamber by means of perforated vertical iianges or feet 7, which maybe attached to the can and which permit air to pass beneath the can and into the central longitudinal circulating-tube 8, one of which is provided for each of the cans. Each can has a removable cover i), which is perforated centrally to permit the upper end of the circulating-air tube to pass therethrough, and this tube is connected by a hollow coupling 10 with a hot-air-escape flue 11. This escapeflue is arranged in a horizontal position below the refrigerant chamber and transversely above all of the series of cans G, and said escape-flue extends entirely across the refrigerator from one end flue 3 to the other Hue, the ends of said escapetube opening into the end fines to discharge the warm air that passes through the creaming-cans into the end lues and permit it to circulate through the refrigerant-chamber.

The hollow connection 10, for detachably connecting the circulating-tube of a creaming-can to the hot-air-escape line, comprises a fixed nozzle 12, which depends from the escape-line, and a sliding tube 13, which is adapted to be adjusted vertically on the fixed nozzle and to be locked in an elevated position by a suitable device when it is desired to remove the can from the refrigerator. Any suitable means for holding the sliding tube in any elevated position may be employed; but I prefer to provide a bayonet-slot in the sliding tube and a fixed pin on the depending nozzle, which pin rides in said slot when the sliding tube is elevated and enters the horizout-al arm of the slot when the sliding tube is rotated or turned on its axis. The sliding tube fits snugly over the upper end of the circulating-tube in order to detachably connect the latter with the escape-tube and provide for the proper circulation of air through the can and refrigerator.

The bottom 15 of the refrigerant-chamber 2 is inclined downwardly, as at 16, from the sides thereof toward a central opening 17, through which the cold air is free to escape into the lower chamber containing the creaming-cans, and around this opening 17 is provided a raised flange 1S, which serves to prevent the waste water that drips from the refrigerant chamber 1 from escaping through the opening' 17 into the lower chamber. The waste water is conducted from the drip-pan formed by the bottom of the refrigerant chamber by an escape-pipe 19, that communicates with said drip-pan at a suitable point and leads to the outside of the inclosing-case, as is obvious. The refrigerant is supported on a perforated or slotted grate 20, which rests at its edges on the upper portion of the bottom of the refrigerant-chamber.

In order to provide for the escape of the odors that arise from the milk contained in the cans while the air-currents are passing through the same and the cream is rising to the surface of the milk, I have provided outlet or escape openings 2l in each of the cir culating-tubes at a point just below the covers of the cans, through which outlet-openings the odorous vapors are drawn by the ascending current of air in the circulating-tubes, which conduct the same to the end fines 3 3.

rThe operation ofv my invention is obvious from the foregoing description, taken in cnnnection with the drawings.

To remove a can in order to fill the same, the sliding tube of the hollow coupling 10 is raised in order to disengage it from the circulating-tube of the can and locked in suc'h raised position, after which a cap of any preferred form can be tted over the coupling, as is obvious. The creaming-can can nowbe removed from the inelosing-ease of the refrigerator and filled with milk. To better carry out the operation of filling the can without waste of milk and allowing it to enter the central tube thereof, and at the same time strain it of any impurities,Iemp1oy an annular strainer 23, (shown in Fig. 3,) which is provided with a central closed tube 24 to receive the upper end of the circulating-tube, and a series of screened openings 25, through which the strained milk passes. The cover of the can is now replaced and the can adjusted in the refrigerator so as to be out of contact with the inclosing-case and adjoining cans to leave intermediate spaces for the circulation of cold air around the same, the sliding tube of the hollow coupling being connected to the eireulating-tube of the can in an obvious manner. This arrangement and connection of the creaming-cans permit the cool-air currents from the refrigerant-chamber to circulate around the outside of the can and through the central tube thereof, whereby the contents of the can are rapidly cooled and the rising of the cream facilitated. By providing for the circulation of the air from the refrigerant chamber to and through the creaming-cans, and thence back through an isolated tube or conduit to the refrigerantchamber, I am able to secure a better and uniform temperature in the refrigerator.

I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the precise details of construction and form and proportion of parts herein .shown and described as an embodiment of my invention, as I am aware that changes and alterations therein can be made without departing from the spirit or sacri- Iicing the advantages of my invention.

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Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of a refrigerant-chamber, a second chamber which is located below and communicates directly with the refrigerant-chamber to receive the condensed cold air therefrom, a can or reservoir located in said lower second chamber and having its bottom raised above the chamber by a perforated iiange or feet, a vertical circulating-tube eX- tending longitudinally through the can and opening through the bottom thereof to permit currents of lair which pass beneath the bottom of the can to circulate longitudinally through said can, and a .horizontal escapeiiue connected to the circulating-tube of the can or reservoir and communicating with the refrigerant-chamber by i'lues, which are isolated from the lower chamber in which the can or reservoir is located, substantially as described, for the purpose setforth.

2. The combination of a lower chamber, an elevated refrigerant-chamber which communicates by an opening in its bottom with the lower chamber, the vertical end iiues 3, which are closed at theirlower extremities and open at their upper ends to communicate with the refrigerant-chamber, a horizontal escape-flue 1l, arranged immediately beneath the refrigerant-chamber and opening at its ends into the vertical tiues 3, a creaming-can located in the lower chamber and having an elevated bottom, and a circulating-tube which passes through the can and communicates with the horizontal escape-ii ue, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of a refrigerant-chamber having an opening in its bottom, a lower chamber which communicates with said refrigerant-chamber, the vertical end iiues 3, located at the sides of the refrigerant-chamber and having the closed lower ends, a horizontal escape-fineA 1l, arranged below the refrigerant-chamber and communicating at its ends with the vertical end ues 3, a creaming-can provided with a raised bottom and a circulating-tube 8, and a coupling intermediate of the circulating-tube S and the horizontal escape-flue, whereby a current of air is permitted to pass centrally through the can, the coupling, the horizontal escape-flue, and the end fines, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of a refrigerant-chamber having an opening in its bottom, a lower chamber, the end ilues 3, having the lower extremities thereofclosed and provided with the outlet-openings, a horizontal escape-line l1, located below the refrigerant-chamber and communicating at its ends with the vertical end flues, said horizontal flue having a depending tube 12, a creaming-can having the raised bottom, a vertical circulating-tube eX- tending through said can, and a sliding coupling 13, fitted over the depending tube l2 and the upper end of the circulating-tube, the coupling l3,havingalocking device for holding it in an elevated positioinfor the purpose described, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a refrigerant-chamber having a sloping bottom provided with a central opening, the isolated end fines havf ing the closed lower extremities, a lower chamber communicating with the refrigerant-chamber through the opening in the bottom of the latter, a horizontal escape tube or flue located beneath the refrigerant-chamber opening at its ends into the isolated end iiues and having the depending tubes, a series of creaming-cans, each having an elevated bottom and a vertical circulating-tube, and the hollow couplings iitted on the depending tubes and overthe upper extremities of the circulatingtubes of the cans, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of a refrigerant-chamber havin-g an opening in its bottom, a lower chamber which communicates with said refrigerant-chamber through said opening, the isolated end flues having the closed lower ends, the horizontal escape-fines opening into the end ues, a creaming-can having a cover and an elevated bottom, and a vertical circulating-tube extending through the can and ROBERT D. PARKS.

Witnesses:

Jos. WENDLING, Jos. T. HUTcHrNsoN.

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